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Volunteers remove invasive water chestnut on the Charles River in Boston, Massachusetts

Five Star and Urban Waters Restoration Grant Program

Volunteers remove invasive water chestnut on the Charles River

The Five Star and Urban Waters Restoration Program seeks to develop nation-wide community stewardship of local natural resources, preserving these resources for future generations and enhancing habitat for local wildlife. Grants seek to address water quality issues in priority watersheds, such as erosion due to unstable streambanks, pollution from stormwater runoff, and degraded shorelines caused by development.

Partners

The Five Star and Urban Waters Restoration Program focuses on the stewardship and restoration of coastal, wetland and riparian ecosystems across the country. Its goal is to meet the conservation needs of important species and habitats, providing measurable and meaningful conservation and educational outcomes. The program requires the establishment and/or enhancement of diverse partnerships and an education/outreach component that will help shape and sustain behavior to achieve conservation goals.

Funding priorities for this program include:

  • On-the-ground wetland, riparian, in-stream and/or coastal habitat restoration
  • Meaningful education and training activities, either through community outreach, participation and/or integration with K-12 environmental curriculum
  • Measurable ecological, educational and community benefits
  • Partnerships: Five Star projects should engage a diverse group of community partners to achieve ecological and educational outcomes.

To date, the Foundation has funded more than 1,000 projects in 50 states, including the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands through this program. More than $25 million in grants has leveraged more than $81 million in other funds or donated services.

Application Information


Five Star and Urban Waters Restoration Grant Program 2024 Request for Proposals - CLOSED View Now
Program Fact Sheet Download the PDF
2023 Grant Slate Download the PDF
2022 Grant Slate Download the PDF
2021 Grant Slate Download the PDF
2020 Grant Slate Download the PDF
2019 Grant Slate Download the PDF
Five Star and Urban Waters Topical Webinar Series View Website
Staff Representatives

Program Director, Community Stewardship and Youth

Manager, Community Conservation

Regional Program Coordinator